Trenton Falls ‘Scenic Trails’ Open This Weekend

Trenton Falls is a gorgeous place to visit. It features several falls that drop 300 vertical feet, a two-mile trail, two NYS DEC fishing accesses, and new interpretive signs. It's only open to the public a few weekends out of the year, and this is one of them!

Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m you can hike the trails and picnic at Trenton Falls Gorge. There are two types of paths are available: the primary trail (stone dust) takes visitors to the Trenton Falls Hydro Dam overlook. This trail is approximately 1 mile long and will take 1 to 1.5 hours to enjoy. The secondary trails (wood mulch) allow visitors to experience nature and scenic vistas along the gorge with informational panels at points of historical interest.

History Of Trenton Falls:

Trenton Falls is where the West Canada Creek roars through, spilling hundreds of feet to create the breathtaking falls. In 1805, John Sherman fell in love with the area, and a few years later with some donated money, he created a path to the waterfalls. A short time later he purchased 60 acres of surrounding land. In 1825, Sherman turned it into a world-famous retreat. The falls attracted artists, poets and the wealthy.

According to the Town of Trenton website, geologists estimate that the rocks in the Trenton Gorge are approximately 450 million years old. Trenton limestone is abundant with fossils, including one spectacular trilobite fossil Isotelus gigas.

Limestone deposits are extremely common at Trenton Falls, and limestone has played a role in the Upstate New York economy since the latter half of the 19th century. Various quarries of Trenton Group limestone served commercial needs, including use in the construction of several local buildings such as the Utica State Hospital, the Wethersfield School and the Barneveld Library. Ten locks of the Black River canal were built with Trenton limestone. In addition, limestone is used to manufacture medicines and toothpaste.